EdFringe Review: The Flock and Moving Cloud

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‘The Flock and the Moving Cloud’ from Scottish Dance Theatre is a splendid double bill sure to delight audiences from now till the 25th of August.

First up, ‘The Flock’ from Dutch-trained Roser López Espinosa, a piece clearly inspired by migratory birds. As always, I avoided reading anything about either piece in this showing beforehand, hoping for the piece to speak directly to me. It did!

The opening choreography has the dance troupe arranged in a V-formation, flapping very stylishly on the spot. The beats of their arms suggest careful study of geese in aerial action particularly. Now swift, now gliding, now in-sync, now out, it makes for compelling watching. Set the rhythmically pulsing music of Mark Drillich and Ilia Mayer, this is a strong opening.

Presumably tired out and in need of a rest after all this flying, a quick fade to black and back, finds our flock lying exhausted on the ground, only the sounds of laboured breath to break the silence.

The first revivers set about rousing the others from a dead sleep by progressively more ambitious and athletic means. They are lifted, rolled, tumbled and more, completely limp-bodied and trusting of the manipulators. The result is oddly affectionate, playful and a little comedic. The avian inspiration is a little tougher to see here, however, the scene more akin to a pack of primates resting after a long day’s foraging,

Post-intermission, it’s time for ‘Moving Cloud’ devised by Italian-born Sofia Nappi. What a delight, a rare celebration of modern traditional Scots music in contemporary dance. The dance corps arrayed in a mix of white smocks, kilts and what looks like tweed, make quite a motley crew.

The choreography blending contemporary, Hip-hop dance, popping and locking is flagrantly celebratory. There’s plenty of smiles amongst the dancers, as they evolve from working singly or in pairs before coming together for a rousing formation finale.

The music, a mix of reels, jigs and at least one strathspey, but with modern sensibilities is toe-tappingly good to boot. Composed by Donald Shaw and TRIPP (who perform with the show today and the 17th of August), it’s a toe-tappingly good soundtrack. The result is a very modern and vibrant Ceilidh.

Throughout both pieces, the dance troupe are fine fettle, every single one. Their camaraderie is evident throughout, as is the expertise and talents of each.

Taken as a whole, ‘The Flock and Moving Cloud’ is a delightful and accessible show. It’s hard to imagine anyone not enjoying themselves, or resisting the urge to clap along when the big finale arrives. A short UK tour follows this Fringe run – it’s just a pity that such a great wee work won’t be seen in more theatres.

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